Hollow of Your Hand
by WeirdMisty
Summary: When a youma's attack shrinks Tuxedo Kamen, he's forced to take refuge with Sailor Moon. But can he cope with the discovery of her secret identity - and keep his own a secret - while struggling simply to survive in her care? Mamoru/Usagi


Author's Note: This is my first foray into Sailor Moon fanfiction. This story was inspired by the deliciously wonderful Mamoru/Usagi stories by** Princess Destiny**, who you should totally check out if you haven't read her fics before.

Language Note: I use the Japanese names because this fanfiction is about the characters from the original Japanese version, not the English dub characters (there is a difference). I also use the Japanese terms for a few things such as Usagi's hairstyle and the monsters that the Sailors fight. However, this fanfiction is in English, and will not have random Japanese phrases_._

- - - - -

"Of course Tuxedo Kamen belongs with Sailor Moon!" Chiba Mamoru blinked in surprise as he entered the arcade, startled by the first words that fell upon his ears. Looking around, he saw that the speaker was none other than the dumpling head, Tsukino Usagi, whose hands were planted squarely on her hips as she scowled up at a hapless Motoki. He held back a laugh as he silently slipped up behind the pair to observe their conversation.

"Why are you so sure of that?" The blonde college student asked, grinning goofily down at the young girl in front of him. "Maybe he just rescues her because he's a chivalrous guy."

"Nuh-uh," Usagi insisted, eyes wide with earnest conviction. "I'm sure it's because he likes her!"

"She's difficult not to like," Mamoru drawled lazily, smirking when Usagi yelped and whirled around at the sound of the interjection. "After all, she's a very brave and beautiful girl."

"Nobody asked your opinion!" the blonde girl responded haughtily, sticking her tongue out. "Besides, I'm sure Sailor Moon wouldn't care about what _you_ think, jerk! She has eyes only for Tuxedo Kamen." The last part was stated in a dreamy tone, and the young girl stared off into space as she spoke.

Mamoru rolled his eyes. It was obvious that the poor girl was crushing badly. Of course, there was no question that Usagi wouldn't be half so enamored with the masked hero if she had any idea that _he_ was Tuxedo Kamen. Even so, spoiling her crush would be a pretty sorry reason indeed to reveal his identity, so he squelched that thought, instead contenting himself with the notion that if Sailor Moon liked Tuxedo Kamen even half as much as Usagi did, then yes, she would _certainly_ care about what he thought. Realizing that he hadn't yet responded to Usagi's statement, he turned back to the dumpling headed girl beside him. "Don't pretend to speak for someone so much better than yourself, dumpling head," he rebuked harshly, dark eyes flashing as he spoke. "Do you really think Sailor Moon would appreciate you trying to represent her?"

He grinned as Usagi spluttered, her face going bright red, then turned to look at Motoki. "I'd never thought I'd be saying this, but the klutz is actually right. Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen are clearly fated to be." Motoki's eyebrows lifted in surprise at the statement, and Usagi gaped at him.

"Do you really agree with me?" she asked after a moment of gobsmacked speechlessness.

"Don't get used to it," he replied loftily with a dismissive wave of his hand. "All I meant is that even a dummy like you is able to see something that's obvious to the rest of us." The junior high student's eyes went wide with fury, and she stormed away, hands balled into fists as she muttered under her breath.

"You're too hard on her," Motoki admonished with a chuckle, watching Usagi's antics with fond amusement. "She's only a kid, you know."

Mamoru frowned as he considered his friend's words. "Maybe you're right," he conceded after a moment. Then a grimace crossed his face. "She's just so annoying, Motoki! It seems that everywhere I go, I run into her. Should I really be seeing the same girl everywhere in such a big city? And she always behaves so childishly."

Motoki shook his head and sighed. "Of course she does, Mamoru. She _is_ a child." He grinned ruefully at his dark haired friend. "Look. Just once, why don't you try being nicer to her? You never know, maybe she'll act more mature."

"I doubt it," Mamoru responded, rolling his eyes as he dismissed the notion. "In any case, I just wanted to stop by and say hi before heading home. I've got some studying to do."

Motoki laughed and clapped Mamoru on the back. "You're almost as bad as that genius friend of Usagi's when it comes to studying. Did you hear that she has an IQ of 300?"

"Then what is she doing with such a stupid friend?" Mamoru retorted. He spun on his heel and stalked off, leaving Motoki staring after him with a frown.

- - - - -

"Ooooh! He makes me so mad!" Usagi fumed as she marched out of the arcade, hands balled into fists as she glowed at the ground. Why did that jerk have to pop up everywhere she went? In a city as big as Tokyo, wouldn't she ever get a break from him? The only consolation the blonde got from her encounter was that, despite the friction, he _had_ at least agreed about Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen. And if even a horrible guy like him could see it, then maybe she had a chance with the masked vigilante after all. The thought warmed her, and Usagi relaxed somewhat.

"Tuxedo Kamen," she murmured, batting her eyelids as she imagined the handsome hero. "You're so dreamy..."

"Usagi," whispered back dream-Tuxedo Kamen in a hushed tone. "You're so beautiful. I want to hold you forever..."

She leaned in towards the caped man, forgetting entirely that her imagination had conjured him up. "You're so forward," she rebuked gently, but she didn't mean it. "But if you really say so..."

"Usagi." His face lowered, and she leaned in as the distance between their faces shrank and shrank. "Usagi..."

"Tuxedo Kamen..."

"Usagi!" The blonde let out a startled shriek and looked around wildly, recalling that she was in the middle of the sidewalk. "What are you doing?"

Her head snapped down, and she saw that the speaker was Luna. "Oh! Er-nothing!"

Luna shook her head. "Well, it doesn't matter. There's no time. Rei said that she sensed an evil presence near the park. We need to investigate it immediately."

"Why not ask Rei to do it?" Usagi demanded sulkily, upset that the cat had interrupted her daydreams. "She's the one who sensed it."

"Usagi!" Luna chided. "Is that any way for you to speak? You're the leader of the sailor senshi! It is your duty to take charge in these situations."

"Oh, fine," Usagi muttered. "Let's go check it out already." As Luna darted forward, she sighed and ran after the feline, hoping that Rei had been mistaken. The last thing she needed right now was a youma. _Well, at least if there is, Tuxedo Kamen might show up..._ The thought cheered her up a little bit, and her pace quickened. She knew that she was supposed to be on guard with him, since he was her enemy regarding the rainbow crystals. But how could she possibly mistrust such a handsome guy who always came to her rescue? He had to be good!

"This is the place," Luna announced as they arrived at a small park. Usagi looked around, but there didn't seem to be anyone there.

"Luna, there's no youma here. This place is deserted."

"That's just the thing," the cat replied. "Shouldn't there be children playing around at a park?"

_She's got a point,_ Usagi thought grudgingly. School hours were well over, so there ought to be kids running around the place, but not a soul was in sight. "Should I transform?"

"I think you'd better," Luna agreed. "If a youma shows up, you should be prepared to battle."

Nodding, Usagi shouted out the customary words. "Moon Prism Power Makeup!" Immediately, the transformation began, and within a minute, she had become the legendary warrior, Sailor Moon. "So now what?" she asked, sitting on a swing. "Do we just wait?"

"There won't be any need for that," intoned a silky voice. Sailor Moon whirled around and shrieked as she found herself looking up at the Dark Kingdom general, Zoisite. He smirked as she stumbled to her feet, hands clenching into fists. "I do hope you're ready to fight, Sailor Moon, because I've brought a friend with me." He rose into the air and moved back, revealing a youma with slick-looking blue skin and dark, beady eyes. "Reduso here should easily be able to eliminate you."

"Don't be so sure!" the blonde heroine replied hotly, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt. She hated to fight without the other senshi there, but what could she do about it? "I do not tolerate cocky opponents! For your arrogance, I will punish you in the name of the moon!"

The youma leaped forward, cackling madly. "You will die, Redu," it declared simply, then extended its razor-sharp claws, reaching for the sailor soldier with a wicked grin.

Sailor Moon slammed her eyes shut, but even as she heard a slashing sound, she felt nothing. When the youma let out a pained yelp, she dared to open her eyes, and saw a rose sticking out of the ground. Joyfully, Sailor Moon whirled around, her eyes lighting up as they fell upon her masked rescuer. "Tuxedo Kamen!"

_- - - - -_

"A youma that arrogantly threatens young girls with death is the worst kind of creature," Tuxedo Kamen declared, smirking as he saw Sailor Moon's eyes light up. "I will not allow it!"

"Tuxedo Kamen!" Sailor Moon cheered. Inwardly, Tuxedo Kamen cheered as well. At these times, it seemed clear the Sailor Moon's feelings for him were similar to those he had for her. The only thing that prevented him from acting on those feelings was his pursuit of the rainbow crystals. Sometimes, he even wondered if he would rather hand them over to Sailor Moon than the princess. It was during these moments that he realized how dangerous his feelings for the blonde warrior could be, and it was for that reason that he never allowed himself to reveal them.

Sailor Moon turned to her opponents and stuck out her tongue. "Against both me and Tuxedo Kamen, you don't stand a chance."

"That's awfully big talk for such a small girl," Zoisite spat venomously.

"Hey!" Sailor Moon cried out indignantly. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Do not be bothered by their petty insults," Tuxedo Kamen called out loftily, smirking as Zoisite's eyes narrowed in anger. "The Dark Kingdom is as bad at insulting as it is at obtaining rainbow crystals, after all."

The blonde general's eyes flew open in fury. "How dare you!" he sputtered indignantly. He raised an arm as though to attack, but then paused mid-gesture before lowering his hand. "Oh, but there's no need for me to dirty my hands with scum like the two of you." He practically purred the words, grinning cheekily, then turned to the youma beside him. "Attack, Reduso!" After issuing the command, he disappeared in a flurry of flower petals.

"Redu!" The youma leaped forward with a cry, brandishing its outstretched arm like a weapon. The clenched fist flew open, and from the center of the icy blue palm shot a beam of crackling white energy, straight at Sailor Moon.

_Crap! _Tuxedo Kamen leaped into action, diving for Sailor Moon as she stared at the rapidly approaching attack, frozen in place. _Just once,_ he thought bitterly, _it would be nice if she was able to dodge an attack on her own._ All the same, though, he would protect her whenever he had to, which included now. Gloved hands landed on her back, and he shoved her forward with little grace. Not that it mattered to him at the moment; priority one was getting her the hell away from that beam of light.

Unfortunately, what the masked crusader had failed to see was that he'd miscalculated the trajectory of the youma's attack – while Sailor Moon had been pushed out of the way successfully, he was still in the attack's path. He let out a strangled yell as the beam collided with him head-on, and crumpled to the ground, pain wracking his body. He barely heard Sailor Moon cry out his name before he was fully encased in a cocoon of light. The pain from the attack, surprisingly, receded almost immediately, but was replaced by a strange sensation that felt like falling, even though he was sprawled on the ground. He tried to move, but found himself entirely immobilized, until the light abruptly vanished. He groaned as his body relaxed all at once, and he collapsed.

Tuxedo Kamen moaned aloud as he struggled to rise to his hands and knees. What had that youma's attack done? He felt a bit sore, and rather disoriented, but beyond that, nothing felt wrong. Letting out a weary sigh, he looked up, hoping to respond to the attack with one of his own. However, the notion was quickly put out of his mind as the sight before him registered.

The gravel beneath him had been replaced with a field of small boulders. Several meters in front of him were what appeared to be two massive red pillars. And the youma and Sailor Moon both seemed to have vanished. _Where the hell am I?_ His gaze traveled up the gigantic columns, and he felt the blood drain from his face. The pillars were impossibly tall, and beyond the red was a creamy pale pink, the same color of skin. And, he realized with a surge of dread, they were shaped in the frighteningly familiar form of legs. Craning his neck further, Tuxedo Kamen's dark suspicions were confirmed as his eyes fell upon the unmistakable blue ripples of Sailor Moon's skirt. _No. No, no, no!_ He cried out mentally. This could _not_ be happening!

"Tuxedo Kamen!" The concerned shriek was horribly loud, but also unmistakable. Sailor Moon's face, though impossibly large, seemed miles away. Her huge blue eyes sparkled with worry as she gazed down at him, and he felt a terrible sense of unease settle over him. And then she knelt down in front of him, and he was sure that if she'd been anyone but the moon warrior, he'd have bolted then and there, rainbow crystals and princess be damned.

"Sailor Moon," he managed, swallowing against the wave of fear that washed over him as her knees settled down just inches (well, to Sailor Moon, at least) in front of him.

"What a horrible attack," the senshi murmured as she peered down at the masked hero. Tuxedo Kamen shifted uncomfortably in the blonde heroine's gaze. She was so _big!_ Still, there was something a little bit comforting about the warm concern her enormous eyes displayed so clearly. Maybe she wasn't so scary in this state, after all. He sucked in a deep breath, trying to relax himself.

But then, she reached out and plucked him up, and all thoughts of calming down flew out the window as Tuxedo Kamen was held aloft before her face. "Don't!" he squeaked, wincing as he realized just how pathetic he'd sounded. Clearing his throat, he tried again. "Please don't hold me," he implored, willing his voice into a lower register as he spoke. At this size, he would have to summon every ounce of testosterone within him if he wanted to be taken seriously as a man! He forced himself not to squirm as the sailor soldier stared at him.

"Oh." A blush spread across the pretty blonde's cheeks, and Tuxedo Kamen held back a sigh of relief as she lowered her hand, preparing to set him down. "I'm sorry," she mumbled.

"Don't forget about me, Redu!" Tuxedo Kamen let out a startled squawk as Sailor Moon shot to her feet, fingers still gripping him as she whirled around. _Damn,_ he thought as he stared up at the enormous and now-pissed youma. _I'd forgotten all about that thing!_

Sailor Moon glared at the youma angrily. "How dare you do this to Tuxedo Kamen? Even if the gods forgive you, I never will!" He gaped up at the blonde warrior as she struck a defiant pose. "In the name of the moon, I will punish you!" Then she looked down at the masked man clutched in her hand, and said softly, "I know you usually save me, but it looks like this time, we're switching roles." Tuxedo Kamen couldn't help but smile at her sincerity, despite the circumstances.

The youma, however, was less impressed. "I will make you small too, Redu!" it declared, eyes narrowing wickedly. "And then I will crush you!" Raising an arm, the creature took aim. Recognizing the gesture, Tuxedo Kamen realized that it intended to attack Sailor Moon with the same burst of energy that he'd been hit with.

"You must dodge the attack, Sailor Moon!" he called out, suddenly intensely aware of that fact that, at this size, he was completely useless. Unfortunately, the senshi had once more been paralyzed – and this time, he couldn't do a thing about it. _I have failed to protect her,_ he thought bitterly. Then, a worse thought entered his mind. If she was hit by the attack while holding him, would he be shrunk again as well? He would end up microscopic at this rate! "Sailor Moon!" he bellowed again, desperately praying that she would pull herself together.

"Bubble Spray!" Tuxedo Kamen wasn't sure if it was his own shout or the cry of Sailor Mercury's attack a moment later that snapped Sailor Moon from her shock, but no matter the case, her eyes flew open and she dove out of the way just as a flare of light came careening towards the place she had occupied the moment before. A thick fog descended over the park the next instant, and Tuxedo Kamen breathed out a relieved sigh. The danger had been averted, at least for now.

"Mercury!" Sailor Moon cried out. "Thank goodness you're here!" Tuxedo Kamen couldn't agree more, unable to shake the nagging suspicion that, if the blue-haired fighter hadn't showed up at that point, the youma's attack would have hit its mark.

As if on cue, the youma let out a frustrated shout from somewhere amidst the mist. "I will retreat for now," it declared angrily. "But I will return to crush you, Redu!" There was a flash of light, and the creature disappeared.

Sailor Mercury lifted the veil of fog and approached the blonde leader of the sailor senshi. "Sailor Moon, are you okay?"

"I-I'm fine," she responded. Tuxedo Kamen glared sullenly up at the warrior of ice. What about him? He knew that his alliance with the sailor senshi was shaky at best, but didn't she care at all that he was the size of a mouse? His indignant thoughts were interrupted as Sailor Moon continued, "but Tuxedo Kamen isn't!" She lifted her hand, and the masked fighter found himself staring up at Sailor Mercury, whose eyes had gone wide with surprise.

"Oh, my! Did the youma do this?" Tuxedo Kamen realized guiltily that the blue haired girl had probably not noticed him at all until Sailor Moon presented him. _Is it really that bad?_ he wondered, a chill running down his spine.

"Yes," he replied with a shaky nod. "The energy attack hit me."

Sailor Mercury clicked her visor on and pulled out her computer, typing furiously as she glanced between him and the screen. Tuxedo Kamen supposed that she was trying to analyze the attack, and so said nothing. "Hmm," she said after a minute. "I'm not sure exactly what it did, but it looks as though the effects of the attack will be reversed if we destroy the youma." Tuxedo Kamen swallowed back his anxiety. It was good news, after all – once the youma was destroyed, he'd be back to normal.

"Oh! But it disappeared!" He stared up at Sailor Moon at her outburst, realizing with a sinking sensation that she was absolutely right.

"I suppose that we'll just have to wait for it to appear again," Mercury mused, aggravatingly calm. "It did say that it was going to return."

"Right," Sailor Moon agreed.

Tuxedo Kamen frowned at the two girls, wondering where he fit into their thoughts. "Wait!" he blurted out. "What am I supposed to do until then?"

Both girls looked down at him, and he averted his gaze uncomfortably.

"Oh dear," Mercury said after a moment. "That is a problem. You can't really look after yourself in that state, can you?"

_Damn right,_ he thought irritably, but refrained from the urge to say so aloud.

"I can take care of him," Sailor Moon announced. Tuxedo Kamen looked sharply at her. He couldn't deny that it would be nice to spend more time with the mysterious Sailor Moon. He knew that his identity as Tuxedo Kamen was in some way linked to her, but he didn't know why or how. He also sometimes suspected that the dreams he had of an unknown princess might be related to her, but that was even more perplexing. And of course, there was the inexplicable attraction he'd felt towards her from the day they'd met. Staying with her might just be the opportunity he needed to find out what exactly existed between them.

"Just one moment!" The three humans all glanced down as Luna interrupted angrily. "Don't you think you're forgetting something, Sailor Moon?" At the warrior's blank look, the feline sighed and continued, "How do you intend to conceal your identity from him if he's with you?"

Both Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Moon gasped at that insight. _She's right!_ he realized with barely concealed excitement. _Could I finally learn the true identity of the girl who holds my heart so dearly?_ He stared up at Sailor Moon, who was eying him thoughtfully.

"It can't be helped," she finally declared. "He could die if I leave him alone! And this happened to him because he was protecting me."

"She's right," Mercury agreed softly. "We may not know where we stand with him when it comes to the rainbow crystals, but it doesn't give us the right to abandon him in this state."

Luna stared up at Tuxedo Kamen, scrutinizing the shrunken man carefully. "Can we trust you?" He shifted uncomfortably in Sailor Moon's palm.

He swallowed hard. It was true that he wanted the rainbow crystals, the same as them. For that reason, they were at odds. If he discovered Sailor Moon's identity, would he take advantage of that to get her crystals? It was a terribly tempting thought, but as much as he desired to get his memories back and find out just what the princess wanted from him, he knew it would be cowardly and dishonorable to do such a thing. "Yes," he said after a long silence. "You can."

Luna sighed. "I guess there's no other choice. But please, Sailor Moon, be careful."

"Of course!" the blonde assured her with a tone that Tuxedo Kamen could only describe as glee.

"I don't think it's likely that the youma will show up again tonight," Mercury commented. "I had better be getting home." Nodding politely to the others, she took her leave.

As Sailor Mercury dashed away, Sailor Moon looked down at Tuxedo Kamen and blushed. "The truth is, when I'm not Sailor Moon, I'm a pretty ordinary girl," she confessed, eyes cast down. "I hope you won't be disappointed when you see me." Luna snickered softly.

"I could never be disappointed with you," Tuxedo Kamen replied warmly, trying to ignore the cat's reaction. He knew that as Chiba Mamoru, he would probably not live up to everyone's expectations, either. But how bad could she be?

Sailor Moon giggled nervously. "Do you really mean that?"

"I really do," he affirmed.

Sailor Moon grinned and set him down gently on the ground beside Luna and straightened up. He looked up at the black cat, fighting to hold back his apprehension at the realization that even she towered over him. "Well then, here goes!"

Tuxedo Kamen squeezed his eyes shut against the burst of light as she reversed her transformation. His heart raced as he wondered what sort of girl she was when she wasn't Sailor Moon. How old was she? Did she have friends? What did she do for fun? Was it possible that he'd met her without ever knowing it? Well, that last thought was pretty unlikely. He was certain that he'd have recognized her if he'd ever run into her before – there was no way he'd miss any girl with those legs!

The aura of light surrounding the warrior of justice faded, and Tuxedo Kamen looked up anxiously, his pulse quickening. Past her shoes, her long legs, and her school uniform, he craned his neck to see her face. Clear blue eyes stared at him from underneath blonde bangs, but as his eyes fell upon the odango buns in her hair, he felt his knees go weak.

No. It couldn't be. It had to be some kind of mistake! The girl knelt down in front of him, and he all but collapsed as she gently scooped him up in her palm. He couldn't deny it, no matter how hard he tried. The girl holding him could only be one person.

"Dumpling head," he whispered hoarsely. "It's you."

"What did you say?" Usagi asked. "You're too quiet for me to hear." Tuxedo Kamen stiffened as he realized that his last thought had been spoken out loud. Thank goodness she hadn't heard him!

"N-nothing!" he stammered, hoping to hide the blunder, making a mental note to take more care when speaking in the future. "I was just... wondering what your civilian name is."

"Oh!" Usagi grinned brightly. _"_I'm Tsukino Usagi. I'm fourteen, and I go to _Juuban_ Municipal Junior High _School."_

___Is she really that young?_Tuxedo Kamen wondered uneasily. He'd known that Sailor Moon was younger than him, but she was hardly more than a child at fourteen! Someone so young had no business fighting in the battles that she did... or being the object of his affections, he reflected guiltily. Not that he was so sure about those feelings anymore, anyway – not if Sailor Moon was that obnoxious dumpling head!

"Did I tell you too much?" Usagi wondered, and he realized that he hadn't responded to her introduction.

"Oh! No, you didn't. I was just thinking of how dangerous it is for someone so young to be fighting youma." Usagi stood, and Tuxedo Kamen latched onto her thumb as her hand wavered dangerously. A terrible thought struck him suddenly. If Usagi was Sailor Moon, that meant that until the youma reappeared, he was being cared for by the most clumsy, inept, empty-headed girl he'd ever known! And at his size, any accident could result in serious injury – or even worse. Suddenly, he felt sick, and it had nothing to do with the awkward strides Usagi made as she attempted to balance him in her hand.

"I know it's dangerous," she said, in response to his assertion. "But I don't really have a choice about it. I'm one of the Sailor warriors. If I don't help protect Tokyo, who will?"

Tuxedo Kamen stared up at her. Could it really be stupid Usagi saying such a mature thing? He bit his lip, recalling what Motoki had told him just earlier that day. _'Just once, why don't you try being nicer to her? You never know, maybe she'll act more mature.'_ Perhaps his friend had been right, after all. He and Usagi had certainly not met on good terms, but was it possible she deserved more credit than he gave her?

"Oh! I'm sorry," Usagi mumbled, blushing. "I didn't mean to imply that you don't protect Tokyo, as well." He blinked, confused, until he realized that the blonde must have misinterpreted his quietness. There was an awkward silence as he wondered whether he should correct her mistake, and when he finally decided to do so, enough time had passed that it would be even more awkward to bring it up again.

"What about you?" Usagi blurted out suddenly. Tuxedo Kamen looked up at her questioningly. "Surely you aren't Tuxedo Kamen all the time, right? What are you like otherwise?"

Tuxedo Kamen winced. Of all the questions to ask, why did she have to pick that one? There was no way he could reveal his identity to her! Usagi would hate him once she found out he was really Mamoru. And even with his feelings for her in turmoil after learning who she really was, he couldn't bring himself to do something that would make Sailor Moon hate him. Not to mention, he knew that it would be extremely foolish to upset the hotheaded, quick-tempered Usagi with his life literally in her hands!

"Tuxedo Kamen?"

He sighed, realizing that she was still waiting for an answer. "...I'm sorry," he finally said. "I can't tell you. Not right now."

Usagi's face fell, and Tuxedo Kamen suddenly felt awful. She was taking a big leap of faith by trusting him enough to share her identity with him. For heaven's sake, she was even taking him into her own home to care for him! What kind of a creep did he seem like if he was unwilling to trust her with his own identity? "Usagi... I will tell you who I am, when the time is right. Please believe me."

The blonde looked down at him, her expression thoughtful. "Okay," she said slowly. "If you're not ready to tell me, I understand. I guess you're probably disappointed by Sailor Moon's real identity, after all."

Tuxedo Kamen cursed under his breath. Had he been that obviously upset when she revealed herself? He gazed up at Usagi. Just an hour ago, he would never have thought twice about telling her that she would never compare with Sailor Moon._ But I actually did tell her that, didn't I?_ His eyes widened in realization. Could Usagi still be upset over his words from earlier? He tried to put himself in her position. Being told by your worst enemy that you're not good enough to be your own alter ego, and then believing that your crush apparently thinks the same thing? He sighed miserably. No wonder she was upset! He needed to fix this, and quick, or there would be no living with the girl. "Of course I'm not disappointed, dumpl—Usagi. How can I like only half of who you are?" And truly, he found himself wondering that. Would he ever be able to fully reconcile his feelings towards Usagi with his feelings towards Sailor Moon? It seemed that, with him in her care indefinitely, he was going to have to find out.

"Do you really mean that?" Usagi asked, cracking a hopeful smile.

"Of course I do," Tuxedo Kamen replied, smiling as sincerely as he could manage. Now, it seemed, was the time to put Motoki's advice into play. Would Usagi really behave more like an adult if he was nicer to her? It was quickly becoming apparent that he would have to find out. And heaven forbid that Usagi learn his identity, or she'd never speak kindly to him, either as Chiba Mamoru _or _Tuxedo Kamen, again!


End file.
